A care worker who has been living apart from her seven-year-old daughter has shared the moment she hugged her for the first time in seven weeks.
Lisa Cave, 40, from Stalham, made the “heartbreaking” decision to send her daughter to live with her father, Paul, while she worked through the coronavirus pandemic caring for disabled residents at a care home.
She made the decision as her daughter, Ruby, has severe asthma and respiratory problems and “would never forgive herself” if she was the reason her daughter got the virus.
Miss Cave said: “It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but Ruby understands that I am looking after people that can’t look after themselves.
“We FaceTime for one or two hours every day but one day Ruby was so upset that she couldn’t see me, it broke my heart.”
Before the seven weeks apart, the longest they had spent away from each other was a couple of days.
Deciding she could not wait any longer, the 40-year-old bought some protective clothing online and surprised her daughter on May 12.
“At first she was waving at me and didn’t know who I was because of all the PPE,” Miss Cave said. “When she noticed it was me she ran into my arms.
“We didn’t move for ages, she was crying in my arms and it just set me off.
“She is a very cuddly child, she can’t get to sleep at night without her bedtime story and cuddle from me.
“It’s something that can get me through the next few weeks.”
Thousands of key workers have made the decision to live separately from their loved ones to help manage the spread of the virus.
Miss Cave said: “I wanted to post the video to let people know that if I can go seven weeks without seeing my daughter then they can stay at home.
“Ruby is my hero, she is what keeps my heart beating and it’s hard not being able to see her.
“If you’re able to be with your family please stay home so I can see my child again.”
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